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The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 11:15 am
by archerycrazy
I noticed the muzzleloader forum has been silent for a number of weeks and decided to try and revive it. I am sitting at the office watching the time crawl slowly by and wishing the muzzy opener was here. The 7-10 days prior to a hunting trip always seem to be the slowest of my life (except for the last 10 days of a deployment). ](*,)

For the past number of years I have always done archery for the general season deer hunt here in Utah. This year I decided to explore something new and put in for a muzzleloader tag for the Pine Valley unit that I grew up hunting. My brother and I were both fortunate to draw tags and have been preparing ever since.

After a lengthy debate, I finally decided to purchase the CVA Optima V2, and I have not regretted it. After a number of trips to the range, I have been impressed with accuracy of this rifle. I am getting 1" groups at 100 yds with 85 grains of BH209, 300 grain Hornady SST's, and a 1x Thompson Center Hawken Hunter scope.

My brother and I both have the duration of the hunt off of work, and we know the unit well. I hope to be able to share some field photos of a dandy buck before too long. Now all I need is a remote like Adam Sandler had in the movie "Click" to fast forward the next 10 days.

Best of luck to the rest of you muzzleloader hunters. I hope to see your bucks here as well.

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 5:39 pm
by Springville Shooter
I'm with you waiting for the Muzzy season to start. I am also a first year muzzy guy and went with the TC Omega. I'm going to try to seal the deal on a 4 point that my buddies couldn't connect on during the archery.------SS

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:35 pm
by derekp1999
Amen, headed to the range later this week to work out any last minute kinks.
Hoping for another great hunt with my grandpa, dad, uncle, brother, and one of my best friends. I haven't harvested since 2010... so this has to be the year, right?

I'm certain it will be.


I hope.

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:45 am
by archerycrazy
SS...I've seen the pictures of the awesome groups you are getting with your Omega. I hope you do well. What unit will you be hunting?

Derek...I've enjoyed reading your stories from the past couple of years. I'm pulling for this to be your year!

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:12 am
by one hunting fool
new to the muzzleloader thing and took my 1 power scope CVA out this week and at 100 was shooting high about 4" above the top of the black (which you can't even see the black with the cross hairs) so I adjust my scope 6 inches and find look and realize I am out of powder but I bought a new one (not the same kind I was using 777 and now bought pyrodex) and shoot again this time I don't even hit the paper. shoot again thinking maybe I flinched and nothing. go to the board and see 2 holes 1 ft lower and way left on the corner. who knew that powder could burn so much different. same lead just different powder wet patch every time now I did adjust my scope but should not have adjusted that much moved the board to 50 and got back on within 6 shots took back to 100 and shot and hit 2" low of the bulls eye. with a 1 power scope I thought that was dang good so I think I am on

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:45 pm
by Springville Shooter
I'll be up Currant Creek without a paddle.-----SS

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 3:22 pm
by derekp1999
Ahhh, let the panicking begin! I went to Lee Kay range this afternoon & turns out they have torn down their pistol & muzzleloader range so my only option was 100 yards. Not a problem, right? BIG PROBLEM.
I covered the whole board with fresh white paper and started blasting away. One shot hit paper, then a second, then a third... a nice tight little group but I could see that I needed to make a slight tweak to my elevation and windage. I break out the screw driver and adjust the ol' iron sights. A few more rounds go downrange and nothing hits paper! I'd get one of every three to five shots to hit paper and they were all over the place. I put the sights back where they were originally & couldn't get anything on paper there either.
As I sit here and type I realize my error... I was adjusting the sights the wrong direction! That was an awful lot of $$$ thrown downrange for such a rookie mistake. Looks like I'll be looking around for a range that has some options for shorter distances to see how badly I screwed this up! Good thing I have a sense of humor and there's still a week to go.
](*,)

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 7:12 pm
by archerycrazy
I'm glad you have a sense of humor about it.

Several weeks ago I was out shooting my muzzleloader with my brother and we were making some final adjustments to our scopes. A couple of shots later we were both way off of the center of the target. We soon realized that we had somehow switched rifles (We have identical rifles/scopes) and made adjustments to the others' rifle. Needless to say, it took some extra time and bullets to get back shooting straight.

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:13 pm
by waspocrew
I'm excited to hit the range tomorrow after my last class! I wasn't getting awesome groups with the 300 SST so I ended up switching to the 290 Barnes TMZ. I only crud them at 50 yards, but they all pretty much go in the same hole. I'm hoping they will continue to perform at 100 yards.

Tomorrow morning will be my final scouting trip and I'm hoping to find a mature buck. Last trip yielded 5 bucks but they were all 2 points. I know a better one is out there, but it's awfully hard to be patient!

Re: The slowest 10 days of the year

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 8:41 am
by archerycrazy
Waspo...it was fun reading about your 2012 hunt. You got your two-point last year...how do you like your chances at seeing a bigger buck? As tempting as it is to take a smaller buck early in the hunt, you almost always have to pass on several to find a mature buck. Whatever you decide, it should be exciting. Let us know how your last scouting trip turns out.